Ever thought about taking your act on the road? If so, you're not alone. An increasing number of physicians today are choosing to work on a temporary, locum tenens basis, traveling to assignments that can be located anywhere from Connecticut to California.
In a 2006 review of temporary physician staffing trends, Staff Care of Irving, TX, estimated that 36,000 physicians worked as locum tenens in 2005, up from around 29,000 in 2003. Radiologists are among the types of doctors in most demand as "temps."
In 2005, radiology was the company's fifth most requested specialty. Hospitals, medical groups, and other clients requested 35,400 temporary "physician days" in radiology in 2005, up from 30,114 days in 2004. Only family physicians, anesthesiologists/certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNAs), psychiatrists, and internists were in greater demand.
The demand for physician temps is being driven by several factors, the most important of which is the national physician shortage. In the past locum tenens physicians were used mostly to fill in for doctors who were on vacation, out sick, or perhaps conducting CME courses.
While vacation and other coverage is still a factor, locum tenens physicians are increasingly used to maintain services while hospitals and groups search for the permanent physicians who are so hard to find today.
What should radiologists consider before "going mobile"? Here are a few suggestions:
Positives: In Staff Care's 2006 Review, locum tenens physicians were asked why they practice as temps. The number one reason, cited by 85% of doctors, was the flexible schedule. Travel was second at 46%, the lack of office politics was third at 44%, and additional income was fourth at 38%. In general, locum tenens doctors enjoy setting their own schedules, seeing new places, working in comparatively hassle-free environments, and earning a good income.
Negatives: The number one drawback of working locums, cited by 63% of physicians, was being away from family and friends. Locum tenens physicians work as independent contractors. This is positive in many ways, but it means they must provide their own health insurance, or obtain health insurance from a spouse.
Logistics: Locum tenens doctors can work as their own agents to find opportunities and arrange for travel, but most work with staffing agencies. The majority of agencies match physicians with assignments of the physician's choice; arrange and pay for travel, accommodations, and malpractice insurance; in addition to paying physicians on a per-diem basis. Full-service agencies also will assist the physician with state licensure, if necessary, and with hospital credentialing. Some radiologists schedule locum tenens assignments virtually year-round, some work for a few months off and on as they "semiretire," and others moonlight as locum tenens during their vacations or other down times.
Practice settings: A wide range of assignment profiles are available in locum tenens radiology today. Settings range from five-day vacation coverage needs at small imaging centers to assignments at university health system radiology departments that may last up to a year or more. Many long-term assignments result from openings created by permanent physician recruiting positions that are taking a long time to fill. In radiology, these types of assignments are proliferating, though there are still many shorter assignments to fill in for vacation and other short-term needs. With so many jobs available, radiologists can review the assignments offered by agencies and select the ones that best match their needs.
Modalities: Radiologists proficient in multiple modalities are in the greatest demand and can command the highest pay scales. Hospitals and groups may accept physicians with only one modality if their need is urgent, though recently clients have been more insistent about requiring MR, mammo, pediatric subspecialization, and other modalities. Agencies also get requests for interventional in certain areas that traditionally have had a hard time recruiting permanent radiologists.
Income: In today's market, locum tenens radiologists typically can earn between $1,600 and $2,000 per day. Again, the more modalities a radiologist is proficient in, the higher the pay rate. In addition, locum tenens radiologists have a greater opportunity to earn premium overtime pay than other types of physicians, since reading can be done anytime of the day or night. Some facilities schedule work hours on weekends to handle high volumes, which creates further financial opportunities for radiologists.
Fitting in: All temporary assignments begin with an orientation to the equipment and reading stations. Locum tenens radiologists learn to hit the ground running because films are often backed up when the doctor arrives. The best way to ensure positive relationships with referring doctors is to maintain a sense of urgency about turnaround times -- and be available for further consults. Most practices have converted to PACS so computer proficiency is key.
Moreover, the majority of practices have transitioned their weekend and weeknight call coverage to teleradiology, so while radiologists are on assignment, they typically take call from their hotel rooms or apartments and are not required to be onsite.
Though locum tenens work isn't for everybody, it can be a pleasant way to practice radiology while seeing new places and focusing on medicine rather than reimbursement struggles, office administration, medical politics, and other concerns. The next time you're considering your practice options, you might want to give "temping" a try.
By Christin Stanford
AuntMinnie.com contributing writer
November 1, 2006
Christin Stanford is vice president of Staff Care, a national temporary physician staffing firm based in Irving, TX. She can be reached at [email protected].
Related Reading
Report: Some rads see double-digit pay gains, October 16, 2006
Survey says physician income drops in U.S., June 27, 2006
Radiologists ride Rocky Mountain high in SalaryScan survey, June 1, 2006
Radiologists in growing demand as locum tenens, November 15, 2005
Rads are still in demand, recruiting survey shows, June 7, 2005
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